


One More Thing

by Sophia256



Category: Ghosts (TV 2019)
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27784003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophia256/pseuds/Sophia256
Summary: Lieutenant Havers has to leave for the North Africa front. But there's something he can't leave without saying first...
Relationships: The Captain/Lieutenant Havers (Ghosts TV 2019)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65





	One More Thing

“Thank you, sir. Well, if that’s all...” Lieutenant William Havers had just informed his Captain that he was to join the North Africa front, and would be departing from Button House in a matter of hours. He gave a polite smile to the Captain, who nodded in return; officially speaking, there was nothing more to be said.  
But internally, the Captain was panicking. No, no, Havers could not be leaving so soon, not like this... not when he had finally been able to admit to himself that he loved Havers, and was even planning to tell him so. He was filled with dread as he watched Havers move to exit the room, and knew that he had to say something, anything, in that moment, just to get him to stay a little longer.  
“I say, Havers?” he called out. He saw his Lieutenant’s face turn back to him once more.  
“It’s a balley shame we won’t get to finish the operation together.” What in hell was that?, he thought. He blew it. He had simply been too scared to say what he truly felt. And there was nothing more he could say now, no more chances left. The Captain mentally kicked himself as his Lieutenant turned away to leave the room, and he knew that this might very well be the last time they ever saw each other.  
But then, instead of walking out of the room, Havers froze in place for a moment, gripping the doorknob tightly.  
“Captain, I know you said that’s all, but it isn’t all. Not for me.” He slowly turned around to face the Captain again. “I find that I cannot bring myself to leave while there is still something of great importance that has been left unsaid.”  
Left unsaid? The Captain felt a quick flash of hope rise up inside him. He certainly had his own yet-unsaid things to tell Havers; in fact, many of them were contained in the letter that he had quickly stuffed into his jacket just before Havers entered the room. But surely these could not be the same things that Havers meant, that he felt the same way? That would simply be too good to be true…  
“Havers?” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he prompted the Lieutenant to continue.  
Havers inhaled slowly as he prepared to speak, and the Captain noticed that his eyes were darting nervously around the room. Then, Havers shook his head.  
“Oh dear god, what am I doing?” he muttered quietly. “This is ridiculous, this is…”  
“Havers, please,” the Captain said in a soft, pleading voice. He looked into Havers’ eyes, and the man returned his gaze. He needed to hear right then and there what Havers was about to say, or else he was sure he might break.  
The Lieutenant must have seen something in the other man’s eyes that restored his courage, because after a moment he took a couple steps towards the Captain.  
“Sir… I must tell you that I love you.”   
The Captain found himself momentarily unable to breathe. Havers continued.  
“I do, I have loved you for several months now, in fact. And I dearly hope that I have not misread the situation between us entirely, and that you might even feel the same way in return. But, if I have been wrong on all counts, then I suppose... that you are free to report me for being a homosexual.” His eyes drifted to the floor.  
The Captain smiled so wide it could have split his face in two, and let out a noise between laughter and a sigh of relief. He was the happiest that he had felt since this blasted war had begun, possibly the happiest that he had been in his entire life.  
“My god, Havers,” he said. Havers looked back up at him. “Me too. I love you too, I mean. You, good lord, this is, I mean, I-”  
Havers stopped the Captain’s rambling by taking the remaining steps between them and kissing him. The Captain was caught by surprise at this, but thoroughly enjoyed it, and detested the moment that his Lieutenant pulled his mouth away from his own.  
“Kiss me again, Havers.”  
And he did. This time the Captain melted into the kiss, which was gentle and slow and perfect. Havers smelled like summer air and standard Army soap, and the Captain felt one of Havers’ hands come to rest on the side of his face.   
After a few more moments of kissing, they pulled away. The Captain stared into Havers’ eyes.  
“I love you, Havers.” Those were the words that he had said over and over so many times within his head, but never had the courage to speak them aloud until the past few moments. An enormous weight was lifted off his shoulders as he spoke. He knew that one else they knew would understand those words or the emotions behind them, they would all think it was wrong somehow. But here and now, the Captain knew that this feeling was the furthest thing from wrong.  
“I love you too, Captain. And, if you like, I believe we’re quite at the point where you can call me William,” he replied with a slight chuckle.   
“Right, indeed, William… I love you, William.” The Captain made use of the first name now that he had been given permission to it. The formality of the Army was not needed in this room, at this moment. He leaned in and kissed William again.  
When they broke apart this time, the Captain and William rested their foreheads together. The Captain was suddenly greeted with a terrible thought.  
“You still have to leave for the front,” he whispered.  
“I know,” William replied. “But I promise you, I will return, someday. I will try to write to you, although I’m not sure how much of my affection for you can get past the army's censors...” The mention of writing reminded the Captain again of his own letter.   
“Actually, now that you mention it, William,” he said as he fished the envelope out of his jacket, “I wrote you this.” He handed it to William. “I almost didn’t give it to you, I guess I was just too balley afraid, and I had no clue if you returned my feelings.”   
“Would you like me to read it now?”  
“I, er… why don’t you take it to North Africa with you? That way it’s something for you to, um, remember me by.” The Captain felt his cheeks grow a little red, thinking his request sounded rather juvenile and embarrassing once he had said it out loud.  
“I promise, sir, that I would never forget you, not in a thousand years. But if that is your wish, then I will read it once I am there.” William kissed the Captain one last time.   
“I love you, sir, but I must leave. Goodbye.”  
“Goodbye, William,” responded the Captain softly. He watched as his William exited the room and switched to being Lieutenant Havers again, and didn’t notice that the lamp on his desk flickered softly.


End file.
